CALIFORNIA | SOUTHLAND FOCUS

Ryland Group Earnings to Beat Estimates

Ryland Group Inc., a Calabasas-based home building and mortgage finance company, expects its 2000 earnings per share to beat analysts' estimates because of record home sales. Ryland rose $2.56 to close at $28.13 on the NYSE. The company was expected to earn $5.01 a share in 2000, based on the average estimate of analysts polled by First Call/Thomson Financial. Ryland expects earnings of more than $5.50 a share, the company said in a press release distributed by PR Newswire. Ryland said it will close on the sale of 11,200 homes this year, nearly 800 homes more than last year's company record. Ryland sells homes in 21 markets in the U.S. Its shares have risen 22% this year.